FM 7-22.7 Replaces TC 22-6

Field Manual 7-22.7, The Army Noncommissioned Officer Guide, is now available for electronic download; hard copies of FM 7-22.7 are scheduled to arrive at active-duty units this month.

According to the guide’s preface, FM 7-22.7 provides the Army’s NCOs a guide for leading, supervising and caring for soldiers. While not all-inclusive nor intended as a stand-alone manual, the guide offers NCOs a ready reference for most situations.

Field Manual 7-22.7, which replaces Training Circular 22-6, The Noncommissioned Officer’s Guide, is five chapters long and 5 1/2 inches wide by 8 1/2 inches long and fits in the cargo pocket of a battle dress uniform. The handbook offers instructions, guidance and information on NCO-related topics, including leadership, training, history, duties, responsibilities and authority.

Gen. John N. Abrams, former commander of the Training and Doctrine Command, directed an update to Training Circular 22-6, The Noncommissioned Officer’s Guide in September 2001. He did so based on recommendations from the Army Training and Leadership Development Panel members who had conducted a study to determine how the Army could make a professional NCO corps even better. One of the panel’s recommendations was that FM 22-600-20, The Army Noncommissioned Officer Guide, be re-established, updated and published, but the recommendation didn’t address TC 22-6.

Soon after the USASMA director of Training and Doctrine, Sgt. Maj. Ricky Smith, was asked to oversee the project, THE EDGE Research and Development, an El Paso firm, was awarded the contract. Stephen Snyder, one of THE EDGE contractors and a retired Army major, worked with two retired sergeants major on the project.

“These are still soldiers who are passionate about what they’re doing,” said USASMA Command Sgt. Maj. Clifford R. West.

Although his writing team was responsible for assembling most of the information for FM 7-22.7, Snyder credited several others as key to the success. “The sergeant major of the Army took a personal interest in this project,” said Snyder.

In fact, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack L. Tilley endorsed the NCO Vision in the beginning of the book. Snyder also specifically credited three others who he said greatly contributed to the vision and concept for FM 7-22.7: TRADOC Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony J. Williams, Combined Arms Center Command Sgt. Maj. Cynthia A. Pritchett, and West.

These top NCOs continually offered suggestions and guidance throughout the development of FM 7-22.7, said Snyder.

The writing team focused those top NCOs’ vision to build a portable reference that Army leaders can easily reference in a variety of situations. The team recommended it as FM 7-22.7.

“It is a ready reference that draws from literally hundreds of other field manuals, Army regulations, Army pamphlets and other sources,” said Snyder. “We wrote this so that all Army leaders could use it and benefit from it.”

The U.S. Army Publishing Agency will distribute FM 7-22.7 to all established active-duty account holders; however, Army National Guard and Reserve units must order copies. All Army components may order copies of FM 7-22.7 through USAPA as they would any other field manuals.

In addition to the printed version, USAPA has established an electronic version for download at the Gen. Dennis J. Reimer Training & Doctrine Digital Library, www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/7-22.7/fm7-22.7.htm. NCOs can link to the Reimer library through Army Knowledge Online, www.us.army.mil and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy home page, http://usasma.bliss.army.mil/dotd/ncoguide.htm.

From the AKO home page, go to the Reference section and select “Manuals.” The USASMA home page contains a direct link, and there’s also a link at the “Training and Doctrine” section of the site.